Cipher

Master the Cipher in Pillars of Eternity! Learn about their unique Focus resource, powerful soul manipulation abilities, and effective combat roles like Crowd Control and Striker.

Ciphers in Pillars of Eternity are spellcasters who directly manipulate the souls of others. They excel in roles such as Crowd Control and Striking. Their primary attributes are Intellect, Might, and Dexterity. Ciphers have medium Endurance and low Health, but high Accuracy and medium Deflection. They also receive skill bonuses of +1 to Lore, Mechanics, and Stealth.

Powers

Cipher Powers must target another individual with a soul and cannot target the caster or the ground. Unlike Wizards, Ciphers are not limited by the number of spells they can cast, but doing so requires a resource called Focus. A Cipher's Focus capacity starts at 30 and can increase to 180. At the start of combat, Focus is one-quarter full. To use Powers, Ciphers must gather Focus by damaging enemies. The passive ability Soul Whip converts inflicted damage into Focus at a rate of one Focus point per three damage points. Soul Whip stops functioning when the Focus pool is full and resumes when a Power is used. Using a Power costs 10 Focus per level of the Power (e.g., 10 Focus for a 1st-level Power, up to 80 for an 8th-level Power).

Lvl	Maximum Focus	Starting Focus	Power Level	Powers Known
1	30	7	1	2
2	40	10	-	+1
3	50	12	2	2
4	60	15	-	+1
5	70	17	3	2
6	80	20	-	+1
7	90	22	4	2
8	100	25	-	+1
9	110	27	5	2
10	120	30	-	+1
11	130	32	6	2
12	140	35	-	+1
13	150	37	7	2
14	160	40	-	+1
15	170	42	8	2
16	180	45	-	+1

Playing a Cipher

The Cipher's resource, Focus, is generated by dealing direct damage to enemies. This suggests a playstyle of standing at range and inflicting damage quickly, ideally with firearms, to fill the Focus pool. Carrying multiple guns and switching between them can circumvent lengthy reloads, making talents like Quick Switch and Arms Bearer potentially useful. Early game, hunting bows are recommended. A good blunderbuss can be obtained as a mid-game quest reward. Late game, bows are preferred as attack speed bonuses do not affect reload speeds, which become the limiting factor for damage output. It's generally advised not to take a Weapon Focus talent as it will likely become obsolete. The Gunner talent might be beneficial for a time but will also become obsolete.

Alternatively, Ciphers can adopt a high-risk, high-reward playstyle similar to a Rogue. In this melee-focused approach, a reach weapon is recommended to compensate for the Cipher's relative fragility. Two-handed weapons offer sustained damage, though they lack the immediate burst of guns.

Like other spellcasters, Ciphers benefit from high Might and Intellect. However, if focusing on single-target damage and beams, Intellect can be de-prioritized. Due to the need for rapid damage at the start of combat, Might cannot be as easily de-prioritized. Dexterity is crucial for attack speed, and Perception is helpful as weapon misses incur a double penalty. Constitution and Resolve are less critical for a ranged Cipher, though care must be taken to avoid being one-shot by enemies.

For racial choices, Wood Elves offer an Accuracy bonus, ideal for a ranged Cipher. Island Aumaua's extra weapon set supports the Quick Switch method for maximizing rapid damage. Coastal Aumaua or Pale Elves are better suited for a melee Cipher due to their racial talents.

Essential talents include Biting Whip and Draining Whip. The Greater Focus talent often allows for one spell to be cast before needing to build Focus. If this initial spell is Psychovampiric Shield, a melee Cipher becomes significantly more durable. The description for Psychic Backlash is noted as inaccurate; the ability functions against all Will attacks made against the Cipher, making it potent against enemies with auras.

Spell Highlights

• Level 1
  • Antipathetic Field: Not party-friendly, requiring careful positioning. Its side-effect of boosting beam damage offers great combo potential.
  • Mind Wave: Provides the valuable Prone effect and is a cost-effective option.
  • Soul Shock: Offers decent early-game Area of Effect (AoE) damage.
  • Whisper of Treason: Removes an enemy from combat, potentially allowing them to be killed by their former allies.
• Level 2
  • Mental Binding: A fundamental disabling ability.
  • Phantom Foes: Excellent when paired with a Rogue or allies with Apprentice's Sneak Attack.
  • Psychovampiric Shield: A useful self-buff and debuff.
  • Recall Agony: Effective for taking down bosses.
• Level 3
  • Ectopsychic Echo: Party-friendly and benefits from increased beam damage.
  • Pain Link: Beneficial to cast on allies like Barbarians or Monks who are likely to take damage soon.
  • Puppet Master: Short-ranged, but creates an ally that can assist in combat.
• Level 4
  • Going Between: A decent buff for high-defense allies.
  • Pain Block: A superior buff for any ally.
  • Silent Scream: Provides raw damage and a useful debuff.
• Level 5
  • Borrowed Instinct: A decent buff/debuff, potentially useful to cast just before Focus depletes.
  • Tactical Meld: Increases Accuracy, which is always beneficial.